It is well known in the art to produce nonwoven fabrics comprising webs of thermoplastic fibers, by heat embossing said webs. The heat embossing is carried out by passing the fusible fibrous web through the nip between counterrotating heated rollers. One of the rollers comprises an embossing calender having raised projections or bosses, which have the effect of fusing corresponding regions of the web to provide a fused pattern in the web complementary to the pattern of the bosses on the calender. Normally the embossing calender is heated to a temperature above that of the softening point of the fusible fibers of the web. This is necessary so that the web travelling quickly through the nip attains the desired temperature. Normally, after the fibrous material is embossed it is taken up on a take-up roll, or batcher.
In accordance with the present invention, a web of fusible fibers is embossed at a temperature above the softening point thereof and apertures are formed in the fused patterned areas by immediately stretching, or drafting, the web preferably by increasing the batcher speed relative to the embossing speed.